In Gail Simone's Villains United, the plot and tension of two sets of bad guys working against one another was deliciously fun. Though Simone's characterization was strong, we didn't get to know the various villains as grounded characters. With this Injustice Society story arc, Jen van Meter offers a different take on the focus on villains, presenting some of the characters as regular people in extreme and unconventional circumstances. They're still villains, but van Meter explores the notions of friendship and loyalty among those who share common enemies. There's a real sense of history at play here, but not just super-hero/villain continuity. The writer fleshes out a more personal history, more personal connections, among those whom power has corrupted.
William Zard, better known as the magical super-villain Wizard, finds himself the target of a malevolent, other-dimensional entity bent on using the super-crook's powers to enter our reality. The problem is that it will destroy the Wizard, so, refusing to use his powers, the Wizard seeks out the assistance of his friends -- the Injustice Society -- to create a different portal for the threatening entity. One by one, the various villains agree to help out, some out of loyalty, others out of boredom. There's one big problem, though: the means to spare the Wizard and carry out their plan lies protected in the Justice Society's heavily fortified headquarters.
I've always enjoyed Pat Olliffe's work, but his efforts on this comic book mark a significant departure from his previous efforts. There's a greater sense of definition and detail to be found here, but I don't know that it strengthen's Olliffe's work, per se. Actually, I found it a bit difficult to recognize his style at first; I initialy thought perhaps Tom Lyle had handled the line art. But Olliffe's leanings are more apparent later in the book. I like the art here; it's crisp and clear. But I rather enjoyed the looseness of Olliffe's art in the past, and I think I'd rather see it return for subsequent chapters of this story arc. I'm guessing inker Ruy Jose's work is overwhelming Olliffe's usual approach a bit.
There's one problem with the story, and that's why the Injustice Society agrees to help a powerful and power-hungry creature enter into the same plane of existence as it. The Icicle makes reference to the creature's arrival as providing some kind of opportunity, but one is never identified. Furthermore, if the entity is willing to use and destroy the Wizard to achieve its ends, it makes no sense that the other villains wouldn't be seen as just as expendable in its eyes.
This first chapter features the gathering of the team, and it's largely a dialogue- and character-driven issue. Van Meter offers a thoroughly accessible introduction to these characters, and one needn't be familiar with any of them in order to enjoy the story. There's a nice mix of characters here, but the ones I enjoyed the most were those that boasted a more everyday attitude about their lives. For some of these characters, villainy is just their job, what they're good at, and it doesn't define them completely. 6/10
